


No Light Oath

by Elizabeth Culmer (edenfalling)



Category: Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis
Genre: Backstory, Book: The Magician's Nephew, Charn, Dysfunctional Family, Dystopia, Fifteen Minute Fic, Gen, Sister-Sister Relationship, Sisters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-04
Updated: 2013-06-04
Packaged: 2018-02-09 05:17:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1970403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/edenfalling/pseuds/Elizabeth%20Culmer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jadis and Cynara, upon the occasion of their grandmother's death.</p>
            </blockquote>





	No Light Oath

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was Inspired by the 10/8/12 word #252 on the [15_minute_fic](http://15_minute_fic.livejournal.com) Livejournal community. I wrote it longhand at work last October, but only got around to tightening the ending tonight.

When Queen Nekoris died, Jadis and Cynara went separately to the garden halfway between their respective wings of the palace. They met this way upon occasion, so the chance encounter raised no suspicions -- or, more accurately, raised no _new_ suspicion. They knew full well their father feared them, both for the prophecy of doom that had marked their births, and for their own strength and skills.

He had taught them desire and given them a target. And while both sisters knew only one could be queen, they were wise enough to share both the risk and the gain of patricide.

"At the funeral?" Jadis asked, idly turning a nightshade leaf between her long, pale fingers.

"At the funeral," Cynara agreed, stepping cat-foot silent over the carpet of autumn leaves. "When he lights the pyre."

"Elegant. They can go to the sunless lands together," Jadis said.

"Efficient," Cynara corrected. "And we can begin the true game directly thereafter, without any delay to uphold appearances."

Jadis smiled at her sister. "No hand but mine will end you. No heart but mine will mourn your passing."

"No hand but mind will end you; no heart but mine will mourn your passing," Cynara echoed, the old bargain they had made after their brother's death. She reached forward and stilled Jadis's fingers, tugging the leaf until they each held half. "This is the last time. Bind it. To the death of the gods and further, this I swear."

"This I swear," Jadis repeated, and held her sister's eyes unblinking while she cast the oath-net around them.

The leaf caught sudden fire, a brilliant green-white flare that licked and scorched their hands: sword hand, spell hand, each a mirror of the other.

The ash and blood of their bargain fell to the garden path in silence.


End file.
